The morning following the prototype verdict felt unusually quiet.
There's no fanfare. No ceremony. Elian Reyes walked inside NovaTech's offices with a subtle adjustment in his posture, conscious of what had happened and what was to come.
His ID badge turned green in the executive elevator.
Floor 24.
He hadn't reached this level since his onboarding.
As the doors opened, the receptionist gave him a tiny nod. "President Novarro is waiting."
Elian gave a courteous grin, but his thoughts raced. Was this a formality? A debriefing? Or was the second shoe poised to drop?
The double doors to the president's office were open. Inside, sunlight poured through floor-to-ceiling windows. President Novarro stood by a side table, pouring coffee into two cups.
"Elian," he replied without looking. "Sit. You've had quite a week."
"I have, sir."
Novarro handed him a cup and pointed to the elegant leather chair opposite his desk. He did not take a seat immediately. Instead, he strode slowly, holding his cup with a faint trembling that revealed how much had happened behind closed doors.
Then he paused and turned.
"The contract is signed."
Elian blinked. "I—what? "
"I signed it this morning," Novarro confirmed. "You are no longer just a developer. As of today, you are the Project Team Leader for the Core Alpha Initiative."
He tossed a black folder onto the table. The NovaTech emblem shone from its leather cover.
Elian hesitated, but eventually opened it. There was an official contract inside. His name is already printed. Terms were already reviewed. Salary has doubled. Authority has expanded.
"Is this real?" "
"It is. You impressed the Aerodyne representatives more than anyone else in recent months. But more than that, you demonstrated something inside that our department leaders could not ignore. Innovation necessitates freedom. And we believe you can usher in a new era of innovation here."
Elian's throat was dry. "When should I start? "
"You will start next week. "You can take the rest of this one off."
"I—sir, I'd prefer to start now."
"You would like, but I require you to think carefully. You will be creating your own team. You'll select your team this week, and we'll formalize them within your leadership structure by Monday. Use this time to plan."
Elian absorbed it. "Do I have limitations? "
"Only within budget, and you have more than enough. So far, you've requested only one UI/UX specialist.
"Yes. That is all I need to start. The remainder of the architecture I can do on my own.
Novarro chuckled. "Modest. Dangerous. "Very Elian."
"Open that," Novarro stated.
Elian tapped the screen. A list of internal NovaTech staff profiles was opened, including engineers, designers, QA leads, and DevOps professionals. Each is marked with performance ratings, project histories, and skill profiles.
"You will choose your squad from this list. They have all been pre-cleared. "I need your decisions by Friday."
Elian studied the list, his eyes blazing with calculations. Possibilities. Team synergy. Complementary strengths.
"Thank you," he responded.
"You're welcome," Novarro said. "But, Elian..." "One thing."
He leaned forward and clasped his hands on the desk.
"How did you do it?" "
Elian froze.
Novarro's expression was unreadable.
"The prototype. AI behavior modeling. The independent adaptation layers. I reviewed your resume. You did not study neural network engineering. You were not trained in NLP frameworks. You obviously were not developing predictive service logic six months ago. So I will ask again. How did you do that? "
Elian could sense the underlying tension in the question. It wasn't simply curiosity. It was the corporate impulse kicking in, the same one that weighed risks and opportunities in the same phrase.
He might lie. Say it was a self-study. Assume it was midnight practice.
Instead, he smiled and explained, "I just built what I felt was necessary."
A long hush ensued.
Novarro studied him, then something changed. A slight grin broke through his serious expression.
"Fine. Keep your secrets. "Just keep producing."
Then, something unusual occurred.
The lights fluttered in Elian's peripheral vision, not the room itself. A ripple that is nearly digital. Then a sound:
Chime.
[Hidden Mission Completed]
New Role secured. Leadership Path Begins.
Reward Unlocked:+₱1,000,000 Seed Budget for Internal Project Customization+Classified Skill: "Vision Anchor" - Grants Elian the ability to prioritize scalable architecture under high-stress decisions intuitively
Elian's mind whirled.
"Thank you, sir," Elian said quietly.
With that, Novarro stood. "Dismissed, Team Lead Reyes. We'll reconvene Monday. Until then, build wisely."
That afternoon, Elian didn't stay at NovaTech.
He went home. He dropped onto his bed, then finally let himself drift off
The next day, Elian awoke to the sun shining through half-drawn curtains, the tiredness from the 24-hour prototype challenge still in his bones. His body ached, but his mind was unusually quiet.
After a warm shower and a brief breakfast, he contacted a number from his system records.
"Hello, Toyota BGC?" Yes, this is Elian Reyes. I'm coming to take up the Fortuner 4x4 LTD. "I will be there in an hour."
The Toyota showroom exuded a calm hum of air conditioning and new beginnings. As Elian went inside, clothed in a black pullover and khaki slacks, eyes were drawn to him.
A voice spoke from behind the customer care desk.
"Elian? Elian Reyes? "
He turned.
A woman in a smart navy jacket emerged from behind the desk, soft hair neatly pulled back and sharp eyes flashing in astonishment.
"Samantha? "
She laughed. "You still recognize me, huh? "
"Of course," Elian replied, a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. "Five months isn't long enough to forget a classmate."
"It's been a wild five months," she admitted, shaking her head with a knowing smile. "Last time we talked, you said you were still sending out résumés."
"Are you picking something up?" "
"Yeah. A Fortuner. "The LTD".
Her eyebrows rose. "That's not just a car—that's a statement."
Before Elian could respond, a voice like sandpaper interrupted from behind them.
"Okay, well... If it isn't the charity case turned automobile purchaser."
Elian turned slowly.
Luis Santiago walked forward, arms folded and sunglasses perched lazily on his neck.
"Are you genuinely buying the LTD? " Luis said with a forced chuckle. "What happened? Did your parents win a scratch card?" "
Samantha stiffened but didn't say anything.
Elian maintained his calm. "There's no lottery. "Just results."
Luis raised his brow, suspicious. "Come on, man. You vanished after the graduation. Everyone assumed you had flamed out."
"I joined NovaTech, Team Leader," Elian explained simply. And, yes," Elian added, pulling out the signed receipt, "payment in full. Cash. Do you want to check it yourself? "
Luis took a step forward, looked at the screen Samantha had turned to, and his sneer shattered dramatically.
Elian, still calm, took a step closer, just enough to meet his gaze.
"How are you, Luis? He asked. "Are you still exploiting your family name to lock down mid-tier sales? Or have you finished using your father's Rolodex? "
Luis stiffened. "Watch your mouth, Reyes."
"No need," Elian responded. "People like you choke on truth all on their own."
Samantha coughed with a smile, obviously enjoying the event.
Elian turned towards her. "Is the vehicle ready?" "
"Just finished the last details. We'll bring it around." She hesitated before adding, with a smirk, "Would you like to drive it out yourself, Mr. Reyes?"
"Absolutely."